“Party activists should start observing Youm-e-Shuhada in the very place where they are stopped”, says Pakistan Awami Tehreek chief Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri. Eight more activists including two women have been killed in recent clashes with police, bringing the overall death toll of PAT activists to 22, said Qadri.

The flamboyant cleric while invoking God’s curse on the Federal and Punjab governments said that on two different occasions 300 and 150 buses carrying his followers were stopped by polices. “Trenches have been excavated on roads to stop them”, explained Qadri.

He warned government and said that if they tried to arrest him, fire and havoc will start throughout the whole country. “We are peaceful people and want to remain peaceful”, said Dr. Qadri.

Raja Nasir Abbas, secretary general of Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen, on this occasion lambasted Nawaz Sharif’s statement that he was willing to have a dialogue with Imran Khan but not them. ” We know why you won’t want to talk to us; we were against those terrorists (pakistani talibans in north waziristan) and you are saddened because an operation is being conducted against them”, said Mr. Abbas.

Further on this occasion, Chairman Sunni ittehad Council Sahibzada Hamid Raza severely criticized Punjab Law minister Rana Mashood. “There one Rana (Rana Sannaullah) and now a second Rana has come;  we want to tell you that we’ll include your name as well in the FIR of these 8 newly killed innocent people”, he said.

Yuom-e-Shuhada

Youm-e-Shuhada (Day of Martyrs) is a day of recognition to those Pakistan Army soldiers who laid their lives for the cause of the motherland.

However, PAT chief has also included 14 of his workers in this list who were killed by Punjab police in Model Town Lahore on 17th June.

Earlier information secretary of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had said that PTI officials were also going to participate in Youm-e-Shuhada at Model town.